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Announcements from Alliance Partners

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David Bunker – Executive Director

I am delighted to announce that David Bunker has been appointed as the Executive Director for Queensland Genomics Health Alliance (QGHA), following an extensive search that generated interest from a strong field of candidates.

With support from the Queensland State Government, QGHA is administered through The University of Queensland (UQ), and will be established as a patient-centred and clinically-led entity, which aims to develop and empower a community of genomics professionals who will drive interest, learning and dialogue in genomics and its clinical application. The Executive Director of the Queensland Genomics Health Alliance will lead the strategic implementation and operation of QGHA’s multifaceted projects, coordinating effective collaborations between the government, clinical professionals, researchers and industries in Queensland, to improve health outcomes for Queenslanders.

David Bunker joins QGHA and UQ from the National eHealth Transition Authority (NEHTA), where he was the Head of Strategy, Architecture and Clinical Informatics since 2010. NEHTA is a national organisation that is funded by the Australian Government and all State and Territory Governments. NEHTA leads the uptake of eHealth systems of national significance and coordinates the progression and adoption of eHealth by delivering urgently needed integration infrastructure and standards.

During David’s appointment with NEHTA, David has been at the forefront of digital health in Australia and internationally. David’s executive capacity with NEHTA focused on engaging and consulting the needs of a wide range of stakeholders, strategically coordinating the design and implementation of Australia’s national eHealth program, and the evolution and foundation for clinical informatics and clinical terminology services. David also serves on the executive board and committee for a number of influential health professional and healthcare organisations, including the International Health Terminologies Standards Development Organization (IHTSDO) and Epilepsy Queensland Incorporated.

With more than 30 years of experience working in public, commercial and not-for-profit organisations, David has obtained unique, diverse, and deep understanding of important trends and investment considerations, of research and innovation commercialisation and standardisation, and of health policy and clinical practice, both in Australia and internationally. David is committed to translate his unique set of knowledge and skills to support the QGHA.

I am delighted that QGHA and UQ have attracted a candidate with such strength in executive leadership, technology innovation and implementation, and strategic business management. I look forward to welcoming David to UQ and the QGHA on 4 July 2016.

Queensland Facility for Advanced Genome Editing (QFAGE)

Queensland life sciences and biomedical researchers can now access the rapid, precise and low-cost gene editing technology that is revolutionising biological research, agriculture, medicine and biotechnology.The Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) Queensland Facility for Advanced Genome Editing (QFAGE), based at The University of Queensland’s St Lucia campus, provides expert genetic modification services using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology in mice. Possible modifications include exon or gene deletion, other large genomic deletions, generation of small, specific changes (e.g. point mutations, small specific insertions/deletions), epitope tagging, generation of conditional (“floxed”) alleles, and insertion of large DNA fragments or reporters.

QFAGE also generates transgenic (TG) mice by pronuclear injection. Using next-generation piggyBac constructs, QFAGE is able to produce transgenic embryos at extraordinarily high efficiencies of up to 85 per cent. Efficiency is so high that analysis of phenotype no longer depends on generating lines, but can be done transiently in injected embryos, providing dramatic time and cost savings.The facility offers a flexible service to assist life sciences and biomedical research groups in reaching their functional genomics goals.Services are overseen by Professor Peter Koopman, whose lab has successfully produced dozens of TG and CRISPR/Cas9 models, and the facility is managed by Dr Johnny Huang, who has several years of experience managing a commercial mouse TG and knockout mouse facility. The team’s combined experience assures a quality service that maximises experimental success.

Visit the website to find out more or book an appointment to discuss your project.

New Genomics Cohort Catalogue

A new online function has been established to connect researchers with cohort datasets and resources – the Genomics Cohort Catalogue.Hosted by The University of Queensland’s Genomics Initiative - a recently established program that facilitates partnerships across multidisciplinary genomics research, both internal and external to UQ - we are introducing the Genomics Cohort Catalogue. This online catalogue is set up so that we can display and share metadata regarding cohorts that may suitable for genomic analysis. If you oversee any study and have cohort information that you’re willing to share, please submit it via the Online Submission Form, or please contact Dr Annie Chen at genomics@uq.edu.au.